Global Biochar C-Sink

The European Biochar Certificate (EBC) was the first system to provide a method of certifying the carbon sink potential of biochar. This represented a crucial step towards the sustainable establishment of planetary carbon sinks.

Following an extensive stakeholder process, the new Global Biochar C-Sink standard was published in June 2024. All companies can profit and apply for the new standard from 1st July 2024 onwards.

When the EBC C-Sink was published in 2020, it was not only the first certification standard for biochar C-sinks but also for all long-term geological carbon sinks. Since then, hundreds of biochar companies have certified and traded their biochar C-sinks under the EBC, giving rise to an entirely new CDR business sector. In recent years, several minor updates to the biochar standard have been published. However, the time has come for a significant overhaul, leading to the creation of the new Global Biochar C-Sink standard.

The permanent aromatic carbon (PAC) fraction of soil-applied biochar is now recognized as a geological carbon sink. The less persistent fraction of biochar can be employed as a temporary carbon sink to offset methane emissions. Biochar C-Sinks are monitored from the factory gate to the application site, and every C-Sink must be registered in the C-Sink Registry. Emission portfolios for biomass and biochar producers, processors, and traders are created and must be compensated. Carbon and energy efficiency are evaluated. Biochar-based materials are accounted for as temporary C-sinks.

Standard

Here you will find the current version of our standard:

Global Biochar C-Sink V3.1

Annexes to the standard:

Matrix positive list for Biochar C-Sink

Certification process

dMRV provider for Global Biochar C-Sink

Endorsement of a new dMRV provider:

There is an increasing demand for digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) provider in the biochar production sector. Please find the requirement to become a dMRV provider in this document below:

Endorsement of dMRV for Global C-Sink

Find here a list of endorsed dMRV providers for Global Biochar C-Sink:

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Endorsed validation and verification bodies

CERES-CERT AG

CERES-CERT AG is the third-party auditing body for the standards owned by Carbon Standards International.

With the experience in the certification of biochar, CERES-CERT AG has the necessary expertise to certify biochar production and processing companies and to validate and verify your climate projects.

Website

C-Sink Trader

‎Find here a list of endorsed C-Sink Traders. These are authorized to conduct both transfers and retirements in the Global C-Sink Registry:

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Endorsed system provider

Find here a list of the System Providers endorsed so far:

Endorsed System Providers can offer several benefits and advantages for new system buyers that want to get an EBC/WBC certification or C-sinks through EBC C-Sink or Global Biochar C-Sink standards including:

The technical pre-audit is shorter and less expensive due to:
a) A preliminary lab analysis is not needed as the system has already proved to be capable of producing biochar according to EBC and WBC.
b) The preparation of the documents by the system provider shortens the work of the future biochar producer and the system provider can support him in the process.
Methane measurements for each individual production unit are not required. The default value per system is used to calculate the methane emissions of the pyrolysis unit.
Assurance that technology has already qualified under EBC/WBC:
a) Investors confidence in carbon revenues may increase
b) Carbon buyers may have more confidence as well

If you are interested in becoming an endorsed system provider, you will find the necessary information in the following documents.

IT Tools

Find a list of IT Tools applicable to the Global Biochar C-Sink Standard here:

Global C-Sink Registry

Endorsed laboratories

Find here a list of the laboratories endorsed so far. All endorsed laboratories and subcontractors participate annually in an independent biochar ring trial organised and evaluated by DCC Delta Coal Control. It is planned to establish a European network of laboratories for plant carbon analysis that work according to the same analytical methods and regularly participate in the EBC ring test.

Eurofins Umwelt Ost GmbH

Freiberg Branch
Freiberg East industrial estate
Lindenstraße 11
D-09627 Bobritzsch-Hilbersdorf
Germany
Phone: +49 3731 2076 - 500
Mobile: +49 172 9224436
E-mail: info_freiberg(at)eurofins.de

Website

Eurofins Oekometric GmbH

Bernecker Street
D-95448 Bayreuth
Germany
Tel: +49 921 72633 - 0
E-mail: rottler(at)oekometric.de

Website